Process of and machine for renewing steel rails.



No. 635,577. Patented Oct. 24, |899. E. w. MGKENNA.

PROCESS 0F AND MACHINE Fon RENEWINGSTEEL RAILS.

(Application Bled. Nov. 22, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Sheet (No Modal.)

No. 635,577. Patented Oct. 24, |899.

E. W. MCKENNA.

PROCESS 0F AND MACHINE FOR RENEWING STEEL RAILS.

(Applicatiun filed Nov. 22, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Shet 2,

(No Model.)

mm. f/

@wwf 7 Vf N0. 635,577. Patented Oct. 24, S899.

E. W. MQKENNA.

PRCESS v0|" AND MACHINE FR BENEWING STEEL RAILS. (Application led Nov. 22, 1897;) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNrTE STATES ATENE EErcE.

EDVARD W. MOKENNA, OF MILVAUKEE, l/VISOONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCKENNA STEEL WORKING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PROCESS OFAND MACHINE FOR RENEWING STEEL RAILS.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N' o. 635,577, dated October 24, 1899.

Application filed November 22, 1897. Serial No. 659,485. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. MCKENNA, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Milwa'ukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of and Machines for Renewing Steel Rails, (Case No. 5,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a process of and machine for renewing old steel rails for their original purpose; and its object is so to prepare the rail for the final shapingthereof that uniform fishing angles may be secured and that as little reduction as possible shall be made from the original weight of the rail which is to be renewed.

The work of renewing steel rails or adapt,- ing them for further use for their' original purpose after they have become distorted in shape and otherwise impaired by service is carried on under varying conditions, which are at all times different from those which obtain in the manufacture of new rails. In the latter case the maker is working with blanks of a uniform shape and size and containing an absolutely exact quantity and distribution of metal, while worn rails even from the saine track will vary in height from one sixty-fourth to one-half of an inch and will be oatherwise distorted in shape even though the amount of metal remaining in the rails will be approximately uniform. Another dificulty is to retain the original fishing angles or, as is required in somecases, to renew rails of different shape, but of substantially equal weight, and reduce them to a standard shape with uniform fishing angles. The tendency here is in attempting to give the rail the required height to spread the inside of the head and of the Iiange farther apart than they were originally, destroying the fishing angles and leaving the rail permanently distorted in shape, so that the renewed rails do not fit the standard fish-plates as they should, and loose joints are formed when the rail is again put into service. It is well known in the art of rolling Bessemer steel that the blank to be passed through the rolls must be narrower than the horizontal width of the pass. The upper and nether pressure of the rolls then forces the steel out to the sides until the pass 'is lled, and any surplus metal is carried out in lengthening the blank. Since the old rails vary in height and shape, then, it is necessary that the higher rails should be broken down to the height of the lowest rail, so that the height of any rail before it is put through the roughing-pass will be not greater and preferably less than the horizontal width of such passthat is, the maximum height of any rail before it goes through the roughing-pass must be only that of the rail which has been most reduced in height by service. The pass, moreover, must be of such dimensions that it will be entirely filled by the metal of the lightest rail in the lot which is to be renewed. Since any surplus metal resulting from the differ- Aence between the sizeof the pass in the roughing-rolls and the cross-section of the smallest rail is carried outin lengthening the rail, the ends whereof are sawed off and reduced to scrap, this pass should be made only a very little smaller than the cross-section of the smallest rail, my object being not to effect a large reduction of the cross-section of the rail, but the smallest reduction possible that will secure the result I seek-namely, to adapt the rail for further use for its original purpose. For these reasons, therefore, and to secure uniform ishing angles, as above pointed out, the rail must be reduced by pressure upon the top and bottom thereof to a height which is less than the width of the pass in the roughing-roll. The head will thus be crushed and the web buckled or upset, so that the head and flange are forced nearer together. Then as the rail is put through the roughing-pass on its side-,that is, resting on the head and ange-the upper and nether pressure in the rolls will force'the met-al out into the head of the rail, giving the desired shape and fishing angles, and any- IOO to the desired section for further use for its original purpose.

The mechanism which I prefer to employ in renewing old steel rails according to the process described above may be generally described as follows:

Immediately in front of the furnace is provided a breaking-down roll-train consisting ot' a pair of heavy driven rolls having opposing smooth surfaces for engaging the top and bottom of the rail as it leaves the furnace and adapted to exert pressure to bring the head and flange nearer together.` The web of the rail is usually upset or slightly buckled as the rail is passed through these breakingdown rolls, and the scale which has formed in the furnace is bro-ken, so that it may readily be removed by Scrapers.

Main rolls having roughing and finishing passes are provided in position to receive the rail after it leaves the breaking-down rolls. Any of the welbknown forms of transferring mechanism may be employed to carry the rail from one set of rolls to the other. The passes of the main rolls are shaped for spreading the head and flange apart again to give the required cross-section and fishing angles to the rail, thus completing the process which I have hereinbefore described.

The breaking-down rolls preferably are of an operative length substantially equal to the opening in the furnace and have smooth cylindrical surfaces without grooves or passes of any kind. A way preferably extends alongside the rolls parallel with the axes thereof, and a guide or guides may be arranged to travel to and fro along said way to receive a rail lying at any part of the opening in the furnace and direct the same between the rolls at that point, preventing lateral displacement of the rail while being broken down. Contin uously-operating motor mechanism may be provided with reversing controller mechanism for causing and controlling the travel of said guides along the way.

The details of the construction and operation of the machine of my invention will be more easily understood upon an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of the rollinginachine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on plane 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a sectional View on plane 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4f is a diagram illustrating in plan a rolling-mill plant and arrangement of machinery of my invention for accomplishing the several steps of my improved renewing process. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing one of the passes of the main rolls.

Like letters of reference are used to designate like parts in all figures.

The rails to be renewed are heated in a furnace F, immediately in front of which-is placed the breaking-down rolltrain R, presently to be specifically described. The main rolls R are adapted to receive rails after they have been prepared therefor by the breakingdown roll-train R. A transfer-table T serves to convey the rails from one roll-train to the other. The passes of the main rolls may be shaped, as illustrated in Fig. 5, to give the desired cross-section to the rail.

The breakin g-down roll-train consists, preferably, of a pair of heavy driven rolls ct a', whose operative length is substantially equal to the width of the furnace-opening, said rolls having smooth cylindrical surfaces without grooves or passes of any kind. The rolls a a lare separated from one another, so that the rail may be passed between them and the opposing smooth surfaces of the rolls engage and exert pressure upon the t-op and bottom of the rail, bringing the head and flange nearer together, buckling or upsetting the web and breaking the scale which has formed on the rail in the furnace.

Each of the rolls a a" is journaled in bear ings b c, provided in the standards b' c', respectively, and a third standard d is preferably provided, having bearings el, adapted to support said rolls in the middle. The bearings b d c of the roll a are preferably adjustable vertically in their respective standards, adjusting-screws b2 cl2 c3 being provided for this purpose. Miter-gears b3 d3 c?" are provided upon the upper ends of said adj listing-screws b2 d2 c2, respectively, which mitergears mesh with miter-pinions b4 d4 c4,respectively,mount ed upon a common shaft h, which is provided upon its end with a hand-wheel 72.'. It will be seen that upon rotation of the hand-wheel h the bearings h, d, and c of the upper roll ct may be adjusted vertically, so that the rolls may accommodate rails of different heights.

The roll a is provided upon its end with a gear-wheel d2, which meshes with a pinion e,

mounted upon a driving-shaft e', operated by any suitable mechanism. I have shown a wheel e4 mounted upon the end of said shaft e', over which a driving-belt may be passed. The roller a is provided with a gear-wheel a3, mounted upon its end, which gear wheel meshes with a pinion f, mounted upon the end of a shaft f', one end of said shaft being journaled to rotate in a bearing b5, provided in the standard Z2', the other end of said shaft f being journaled to rotate in a bearing g, provided in a standard g. (Shown at the right of the drawings in Fig. l.) A gear-wheel f2 is mounted to rotate with the shaft f' and meshes with a corresponding gear-wheel e2 of equal size mounted upon the driving-shaft e.

It will be seen that upon rotation of the driving-shaft the roll a will be caused to rotate in an opposite direction through the agency of gear a2 and pinion e, mounted upon the drivin g-shaf t. Likewise the roll a will be simultaneously caused to rotate in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of said driving-shaf t through the agency of gearwheel a3, pinion f, shaft f', gear-wheelf2, and gearewheel e2, mounted upon the drivin g-shaft.

A Way t' is provided under the rolls a a', and guide-carriers t2 t3 are adapted to be IOO IIO

` ard cl and standard 'c'.

moved to and fro along said way, the guidecarrier 2 traveling between the standard b and the standard d', and guide-carrier t3 likewise traveling on the Wayt' between the stand- The movement of said guide-carriers is preferably accomplished by means of a threaded shaft lo, which is journaled to rotate in bearings 7c k2 k3, provided in the standards b', c', and g', respectively. Threaded journals are provided upon said guide-carriers i2 is, so that upon rotation of said shaft 7.a the guide-carriers will thereby be caused to move simultaneously along the way t'. A clutchl is splined to rotate with the Unthreaded portion of said shaft It, but is movable longitudinally thereon. A gearwheel 7a4 is mounted to rotate loosely upon the shaft 7c and meshes with a pinion e3 upon the driving-shaft e'. The gear-wheel 7# is provided with a clu tch-socket or extension h5, so that when the clutch Z is moved longitudinally upon the shaft loto engage with said clutch-socket 765 the shaft le will be caused to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation' of said driving-shaft. A gear.- wheel a4 is mounted upon the end of the roll a' and meshes with a corresponding gearwheel m, mounted loosely upon the shaft k. The gear-wheel m is provided with a clutchsocket m', whereby upon the engagement of the clutch Zwith said clutch-socket m the shaft k will be rotated in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the driving-shaft e', rotation being impartedby means of pinion e upon the driving-shaft, gear-wheel CL2, meshing therewith, gear-wheel a4, and gear-wheel fm, whose extension is engaged by the clutch. A lever n is provided which is adapted to move the clutch Zlongitudinally upon the shaft 7s to cause said clutch to engage with either theclutch-socket 765 of the gear-wheel 7a4 or with the clutch-socket m of the gear-wheel m, so that by manipulating this lever it is possible to start, stop, or change the direction of rotation of said shaft 7c, and thus to start, stop, or change the direction of movement of the guide-carriers 112 t3.

As shown in Fig. 2, the guide-carrier ft2 carries guides op on each side of the roll-train, flaring mouths o p being formed by said guides to direct the rail at right angles between the rolls ct d', said guides serving` to prevent any lateral displacement of the rails while being rolled. The guide-carrier 'i5 carries guides similar in all respects to those of the guide-carrier Rollers o2 o3 are provided in connection with the guides op, re-v spectively.

It will be seen that the machine of my invention is adapted to draw out and roll rails from any part of the furnace without the necessity of moving any rail an appreciable diswhich the desired rail may lie, when the end of the rail may be inserted in the flaring mouth of the guide mounted upon such guidecarrier, and the rolls will operate to withdraw the rail from the furnace.

Having thus described one form of my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, together with all modifications therein which ma'y be made by mere skill, the following: f

l. The herein-described process of renewing steel rails for their original purpose, which consists in heating the rail, reducing it to a uniform height by pressure upon the top and bottom thereof, bringing the head and flange nearer together, and thereafter spreading the head and flange apart again, at the same time shaping the rail to the desired section, whereby uniform fishing angles may be secured, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described process of renewing steel rails for their original purpose, which consists in heating the rail, applying pressure to the top and bot-tom thereof to crush the head and buckle or upset the web, thereby to bring the head and flange nearer together, and thereafter rolling the rail to the desired section by spreading the head and flange apart again and forming the required fishing angles, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a rolling-mill plant for renewing old steel rails, the combination with a furnace adapted to heat the rails, of a breaking-down roll-train through which the rail may be passed lupon leaving the furnace, said rolltrain having opposing surfaces adapted to engage the top and bottom of the rail and eX- ert pressure thereon, whereby the head and flange are brought nearer together, and main j rolls for operating upon the rail after it leaves said breaking-down rolls, said main rolls having passes shaped to spread the head and flange apart again and impart the desired crosssection to the rail, substantially .as described.

IOO

IIO

Irs'.

passed and which are adapted to exert a presf said rolls, and main rolls for operating upon the rail after it leaves said breaking-down rolls, said main rolls having passes shaped to the desired cross-section of the rail, whereby the head and flange are spread apart again and uniform fishing angles secured, substantially as set forth.

5. In a rail-rolling machine, the combination with a pair of rolls a ct between which the rail may be passed, journals b c at the ends of said rolls, supplemental journals d approximately in the middle of said rolls,

Y ing rails, of a breaking-down roll-train placed before an opening therein, a guide for receiving a rail from said furnace and directing the same between said rolls, said guide having opposing vertical faces adapted to engage the sides of the head of the rail to sustain the latter against lateral displacement and in an upright position while being rolled, and

means for moving said guide opposite diderent parts of the furnace-opening, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a furnace, of a rail-rolling machine placed in front of an opening therein, said machine having rolls of an operative length substantially equal to the width of the opening in the furnace, a guide adapted to receive a rail from any part of the opening in the furnace and direct the same between said rolls, and means for moving said guide opposite any point in said furnace, substantially as described.

8. In a rolling-mill plant for renewing old steel rails, the combination with a furnace for heating the rails,of a breaking-down roll-train located in front of an opening in said furnace, said roll-train having a pair of cylindrical rolls with smooth surfaces whose operative length -is substantially equal to the width of said for operatin g upon the rail after it leaves said breaking-down rolls, said main rolls having' passes shaped to the desired cross-section of the rail, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a furnace forheat= ing rails, of a breaking-down roll-train placed before an opening therein, said roll-train having cylindrical rolls forming opposing smooth surfaces, a guide having opposing vertical faces adapted to engage either side of the head of the rail, to direct the same between the rolls and sustain it against lateral displacement and in an upright position while being rolled, whereby the head and ange of the rail are brought nearer together, means for moving said guide opposite dierent parts of the furnace-opening, and main rolls for operating upon the rail after it leaves said breakingdown roll-train, said main rolls having passes for shaping the rail to the desired cross-seo tion, substantially as described.

l0. A machine for preparingv rails for re shaping,which consists of a pair of rolls placed opposite an opening in a rail-heating furnace of a rollingmill plant, said rolls having smooth surfaces adapted to engage the top and bottom of the rail, whereby the head and iiange thereof are forced nearer together, a guide adapted to receive a rail from the furnace, said guide having opposing surfaces adapted to engage either side of the head of the rail, whereby the latter is maintained in an upright position and sustained against lateral displacement while being rolled, and means for moving said guide to and fro in the direction of the length of the rolls, in front of the furnace, to receive rails which may be lying at different parts of the furnace, sub' stantially as set forth.

In witness whereof l-hereunto subscribe my name this 18th day of November, A. D. 1897.

EDWARD W. MCKENNA.

Witnesses:

W. C. HOE, L. E. WARD. 

